Write, Record, Read, Tell, Share…

Stories

“To be a person is to have a story to tell.”
- Isak Dinesen

Each of us is a walking, talking collection of stories from daylight to dark. Even our dreams are part of this uniquely human connection with self and others.

Join me on a journey to discover the power of stories to fuel the wisdom that embraces both who we are and the better, more-fulfilled selves we can be.

Sylvia Lovely Logo original

WHAT WE DO

Online and in-person guidance for people
in all phases of personal and work life

  • Self-study Story Journeys
  • Tailored Workshops & retreats
  • Writing Groups
  • Listening Sessions
  • Focus Groups
  • Book Clubs – General & Professional

Sylvia Lovely

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sylvia-2

Sylvia Lovely is a storyteller and collector. In her early career as a CEO with two small children, she had little time for stories. Working as she did with local elected officials all over the state of Kentucky, however, that soon changed. Her mentor, Mayor Paul Smith of Burkesville, Kentucky, suggested that her job traveling around the state and visiting small towns must surely have produced great stories of the characters who would run for public office – “a little crazy and often colorful,” he said with a laugh. With a great big job and two small children that was well down the to-do list. Mayor Smith had the perfect solution – “keep notecards with you at all times and write down notes when you run across the stories – you’ll have time later to go through the cards and begin to write, tell and share the stories.”

The rest is history, as the saying goes. Sylvia has written three books, including one of them about the local extraordinary heroes she met during her travels. Though often labeled as crazy for their willingness to step into the line of fire of public service, she rejoiced at the stories of those willing to get up and do it every day. With stacks and stacks of notecards and challenged only with finding the time to tend to her own writing, she is committed and dedicated to helping others discover their own stories.

Sylvia often introduces herself as a lawyer by training, a CEO by experience and a media mogul in her dreams. She has a rich history in media as the author of three books, numerous articles and opinion pieces for a variety of publications. She is also in the restaurant business with Azur Food Group, owner of Azur Restaurant and Patio and The Lexington Diner. She has for ten years co-hosted Food News and Chews Radio with Chef Jeremy Ashby, Executive Chef of Azur Food Group and her business partner. She currently provides coaching and regular classes on the art of writing/telling the story for the Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning and Good Foods Co-op Grocery and Community Center. She also works in other venues in pursuing her passion to encourage others to be storytellers.

 

Dodging Coconuts

(click on image to buy on Amazon)

New Cities in America:
The Little Blue Book of Big Ideas

(click on image to buy on Amazon)

The Little Red Book
of Everyday Heroes

(click on image to buy on Amazon)

  • Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning and Good Foods Co-op – “Writing the Stories of Your Life”
  • Ashton Grove Retirement Home and Assisted Living – “Writing, Recording, Telling, Sharing … the Stories of Your Life”
  • Georgetown Leadership Class graduation, 2019
  • Office of the Fayette County Sheriff
  • Leadership Kentucky
  • Georgetown Chamber of Commerce
  • Kentucky Humanities Speakers Bureau -- Summer Program for Harlan Independent Middle/High School, 21st Century program

Testimonials

Freda and Jerry Meriwether

We attended Sylvia Lovely’s "Living Well Through Stories -- Thriving in Troubling Times" sessions and it was astounding.
Mrs. Lovely engaged her participants to dig deep for stories and gave us tools as to how to journal and write our stories.
Such a professional at what she does. We all have stories to tell.

Meredith Plant

Sylvia brings out the best in each participant in her writing classes, encouraging everyone to pay attention to the small moments in life that follow the arc of a story.
Whether one seeks to be a published author or simply aspires to write in a journal for enjoyment, Sylvia’s expertise and her zest for storytelling is sure to inspire.

D’Arcy Batson McArdle

Sylvia makes you feel like family and teaches you everything you need to know about writing, life, and all the in-betweens.
She creates a community of writers within her classes that makes you want to write your own story while being a part of hers.

Freda and Jerry Meriwether

We attended Sylvia Lovely’s "Living Well Through Stories -- Thriving in Troubling Times" sessions and it was astounding.
Mrs. Lovely engaged her participants to dig deep for stories and gave us tools as to how to journal and write our stories.
Such a professional at what she does. We all have stories to tell.

Meredith Plant

Sylvia brings out the best in each participant in her writing classes, encouraging everyone to pay attention to the small moments in life that follow the arc of a story.
Whether one seeks to be a published author or simply aspires to write in a journal for enjoyment, Sylvia’s expertise and her zest for storytelling is sure to inspire.

D’Arcy Batson McArdle

Sylvia makes you feel like family and teaches you everything you need to know about writing, life, and all the in-betweens.
She creates a community of writers within her classes that makes you want to write your own story while being a part of hers.

What's your story?

The world is and always has been a bewildering place. Throughout the ages, we have found comfort in our relationships with one another. Those ties have become frayed, resulting in a loss of civility, connection and community.

As children, we found comfort – from the never-give-up spirit of The Little Engine that Could, to the restored belief in things we cannot see in The Polar Express. As adults, we grew to think of stories as childish distractions.

Today, there is a growing movement to return to stories as a source of awareness and greater appreciation of ourselves and others. There could not be a better time for that.

Join me in the story movement
and experience the life-changing
experience of discovering,
expressing and sharing your stories

Join me in the story movement
and experience the life-changing experience of
discovering, expressing and sharing your stories